Sunday, October 7, 2007
Shona Bracken is running for the Communist Party in the Ontario provincial election in Toronto—Danforth. Wikinews interviewed her regarding her values, her experience, and her campaign.
Submitted by: Richard Chapo
Many Americans make annual contributions to individual retirement accounts. If you haven t done so for the 2005 tax year, you still can.
Not To Late To Make 2005 IRA Contribution
Contributing to individual retirement accounts just makes sense. Most don t believe social security is going to survive for long. Even if it does, one has to wonder how small the distributions are going to be. With the baby boomer generation about to put significant strain on the system, distributions in ten or twenty years are going to be paltry.
If you failed to contribute to your individual retirement account in 2005, you have until April 15, 2006 to do so. This is also true if you contributed during 2005, but failed to deposit the maximum amount allowed under law.
The contribution limits for individual retirement accounts went up in 2005. You can generally contribute up to $4,000. If you are older than 50 years of age, the limit bumps up another $500 to $4,500. When making contributions, just make sure you note on the deposit slip that it is for the 2005 year, not 2006.
Although there are variations, individual retirement accounts come in two general forms. The traditional independent retirement account is a pre-tax contribution vehicle. If you meet salary and filing requirements, the money you contribute from your earning is excluded from your adjusted gross tax calculations. If you are looking for extra deductions for 2005, catching up on your individual retirement account contribution can create a healthy reduction of your reported earnings. The downside, of course, is distributions from traditional IRAs are taxable when you hit the relevant age limit.
The Roth IRA represents a different approach to the individual retirement savings conundrum. Essentially, the Roth IRA shifts the tax burden to the beginning of the savings cycle. In human terms, this means you get no deduction for contributing to a Roth IRA. If you don t get a deduction, why would you use a Roth? The huge advantage to the Roth is found in the distributions. Simply put, distributions are tax-free when you reach the appropriate retirement age. If you are young, say under 40, Roth IRAs typically present a better return than traditional IRAs. This is because the money invested has more time to compound and grow.
Regardless of your choice, socking away money for retirement makes sense. Fortunately, you can still do so for 2005.
About the Author: Richard A. Chapo is with
businesstaxrecovery.com
– information on taxes. Visit
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Friday, December 12, 2008
A US$14 billion bailout package deal for the “Big Three” United States automakers — Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors — has been rejected in the United States Senate after failing a procedural vote.
The bill was rejected after bipartisan discussions on the bailout broke down when Republican Party leaders insisted that the United Auto Workers (UAW) union agree to increase wage cuts by next year in order to bring their pay into line with those of Japanese automobile companies in the United States. The UAW refused to meet the demands.
The final vote count in the Senate was 52-35, eight short of the 60 needed to pass. Only ten Republicans joined forty Democrats and two independents in voting for the bill. Three Democrats voted with thirty-one Republicans against it.
Senate Majority leader Harry Reid said that he was “terribly disappointed” by the failure of the bill to pass. “I dread looking at Wall Street tomorrow. It’s not going to be a pleasant sight,” Reid said. “Millions of Americans, not only the auto workers but people who sell cars, car dealerships, people who work on cars are going to be directly impacted and affected.”
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Republican Senator Bob Corker was also unhappy about the rejection. “We were about three words away from a deal. We solved everything substantively and about three words keep us from reaching a conclusion,” he said.
Some Democrats now want U.S. President Bush to reserve a portion of the $700 billion bailout package earmarked for Wall Street to assist the flagging car industry.
Stock markets worldwide fell dramatically on the news, with Japan’s Nikkei average losing 484.68 points, or 5.6 percent, reaching a level of 8253.87 points. Shares in the auto companies Toyota, Nissan and Honda all dropped by no less than 10 percent apiece. European stocks, such as those in the United Kingdom and Germany, also lost ground, with the FTSE-100 index of leading shares falling 176.3 points to a level of 4,211 at midday.
Friday, May 19, 2017
Yesterday, Zomato, a food ordering and restaurant finding company, announced security breach of more than 17 million accounts, via their official blog. A hacker operating under the alias nclay uploaded evidence to prove they had the stolen data — hashed passwords and emails — for sale, Hackread.com reported. Zomato later announced they contacted the hacker, who asked Zomato to organise a bug bounty programme.
The food ordering company, with 120 million monthly users, said the payment information of the users was not located with this data and was not leaked. Zomato said it uses PCI Data Security Standards.
As a security measure, all the passwords of the involved Zomato accounts were reset and all of the accounts were forcibly logged out from the application and website. The company said only hashed passwords were compromised.
Hashed passwords are encrypted and, per Zomato, every password had a different “salt”, for cryptographic salting was performed before hashing the original password. A “salt” is a random set of characters added before encryption to make decryption to obtain the original passkey more difficult.
The hashed password itself can not be used to access the account. In the blog post before contacting the hacker, saying “internal (human) security breach”, Zomato suggested this could have happened after a worker’s development account was hijacked. After contacting the hacker, and promising a bug bounty programme on Hackerone, they said, the hacker agreed and removed the stolen data which was put on sale on the dark web. Zomato said they are looking forward to working closely with the ethical hacker community on security vulnerabilities.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Thai police officers are being punished by being forced to wear large, bright pink Hello Kitty armbands.
The armband, which features Hello Kitty sitting on top of two hearts, will be worn by police officers who commit minor offences. These include littering, lateness and parking in a prohibited area. The officers will also be forced to stay with the deputy chief all day in division office and will be forbidden to disclose their offences. However, police officers caught breaking the law will still be subject to the same penalties and fines as ordinary members of the public.
Police Colonel Pongpat Chayapan said, “Simple warnings no longer work. This new twist is expected to make them feel guilt and shame and prevent them from repeating the offense, no matter how minor. (Hello) Kitty is a cute icon for young girls. It’s not something macho police officers want covering their biceps. This is to help build discipline. We should not let small offences go unnoticed.”
Hello Kitty was created by the Japanese Sanrio Company in 1974. The character has been admired by both children and adults. It features on stationery, T-shirts, lunch boxes, Fender guitars and jewelry. Famous people known to have been spotted with Hello Kitty products include Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Mariah Carey.
byAlma Abell
When you’ve tried date after date, but can’t seem to find that dream girl that takes your breath away, you might find better luck on the Internet. Online dating sites are a popular trend today as everyone from the career-minded boss to the youthful college senior seeks to find friendships, flings, and soul mates. Just because you’re a guy, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t put forth the effort to create a terrific profile page. After all, if you’re going to beat out all the competition for the hottest girl on the site, you will need to make a great first impression. Check out these Online Dating Profile Examples For Men for tips and advice on how to create your own.
Shirts On PleaseWhether you have “more to love” or a six pack, showing off too much too soon is certainly not the best idea for your profile picture. While you may add a beach picture or two just for attraction sake, you want the female users on the dating site to be impressed with who you are, and not what you have. The main picture on your profile should definitely be one with a shirt on. Make sure to smile and show off that charisma.
Let Them Know Who You AreThere are tons of great online dating profiles for men by Profiles Made Perfect that you can use in your “about me” section. This is where you’re supposed to make a lasting impression on your ideal girl. You should be as honest as possible, as many men are notorious for creating an about me section that is really about someone else. Don’t say what you believe will attract the most women. Tell the truth. This will attract the right woman for you.
When you’re busy studying in school, caring for your children, or pulling a full day’s work at the office, finding a date, friend, or potential wife can be a bit much. For more great ideas and Online Dating Profiles For Men, trust the services of Profiles Made Perfect. They are there to guide you in making a great first impression that will hopefully be with a woman of your dreams.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Sophie Lavers, a 24-year-old woman from Canberra, has been crowned Miss World Australia in Sydney. She defeated nineteen other finalists to take the prize and will represent Australia at the Miss World event in South Africa.
The entrants were judged based on several categories including best talent, healthy body image, sports and fitness and beauty with a purpose. An aspiring actress, she is completing an acting course and hopes to build a career in film and television. She is also a qualified fitness instructor and has worked as a Kings Cross waitress.
She has been described in the media as having an “amazing figure” and it has been rumoured that she has used this for modelling work. However, Lavers has said that her body has only been modelled for a good cause: “Some do think that, but I have only ever modelled for charity.”
She also doubts much will change for her, at least in the near future. “I’ll still get up and probably have peanut butter on toast for breakfast but after that I’m not sure what’s happening. I guess I won’t be going to work tomorrow.”
She explained that all the girls who entered were dedicated to making a difference. “I just think it’s like having little angels out there through the country helping in all different areas whether it’s with children, or blind people, or the homeless.” Lavers also complained that non-stop smiling for the event has left here mouth sore. “I’m not used to smiling for hours on end.”
Lavers is now set to head to Johannesburg for the December 12 global competition. “I’ve got to get a month of outfits ready and get a talent and another speech and everything. Oh goodness.”
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Australian researchers say they have scientifically proven that stress causes sickness. The Garvan Institute in Sydney has discovered that a hormone, known as neuropeptide Y (NPY) is released into the body during times of stress. Their findings show the hormone can stop the immune system from functioning properly.
“Neuropeptide Y is one of those hormones that gets unregulated or released from neurones when stressful situations occur…it’s known for example that it regulates blood pressure and heart rates so your heart rate goes up but it hasn’t been known that it actually can affect immune cells as well,” said Professor Herbert Herzog, one of the researchers.
Herzog feels it is good to finally have proof of something people have suspected for so long.
“Now we have proven without doubt that there is a direct link and that stress can weaken the immune system and that makes you more vulnerable when you for example have a cold or flu and even in the more serious situations such as cancer can be enhanced in these situations,” said Herzog.
The Garvan Institute study centres on two key events that enable the human body to recognise foreign substances and control invaders. When our body encounters a pathogen (bacteria and viruses), the immune cells retain and interrogate suspects. Their activation is made possible by NPY. These cells then return to the lymph nodes, which are found all over the body, with information about the foreign invaders. The lymph nodes are where decisions about defence are made.
“Most of us expect to come down with a cold or other illness when we are under pressure, but until now we have mostly had circumstantial evidence for a link between the brain and the immune system,” said lead Garvan researcher, associate Professor Fabienne Mackay. “During periods of stress, nerves release a lot of NPY and it gets into the bloodstream, where it directly impacts on the cells in the immune system that look out for and destroy pathogens (bacteria and viruses) in the body.”
In the case of bacteria and viruses, TH1 cells are part of the attack team that is sent out on the ‘search and destroy’ mission. But when their job is done they need to be turned ‘off’ and the immune system reset. The same hormone, NPY, that activates the sentry cells now prompts the TH1 cells to slow down and die.
“Under normal conditions, circulating immune cells produce small amounts of NPY, which enables the immune cells on sentry duty and the TH1 immune cells to operate – it’s a yin and yang kind of situation. But too much NPY means that the TH1 attack is prevented despite the foreign invaders being identified – and this is what happens during stress,” added McKay.
The impact of stress on the body has been observed in athletes. Ph. D researcher at the University of Queensland, Luke Spence, together with the Australian Institute of Sport, studied elite and recreational athletes over five months.
They found elite athletes were more susceptible to respiratory diseases under stress.
“A lot of elite athletes put themselves through vast amounts of physical stress in their training, but also their emotional, psychological stress of feeling the pressure of Australia on their shoulders, wanting to compete and wanting to do their best,” said Spence.
It’s not just athletes who are prone to stress. Pressures at work and at home may cause emotional and mental stress that can be equally damaging. Almost a third of all work absenteeism in Australia is due to illness, costing employers over $10 billion a year.
“I think it has a huge impact for the work force and also for employers – if their employees are constantly stressed, constantly under pressure, they are more likely to get sick,” Spence said.
Further research could lead to the development of new drugs which may inhibit the action of the neuropeptide Y hormone.
Herzog warns people to minimise stress before it becomes a problem.
“Relaxation methods like yoga will help you to prevent that but there will still be people out there that are not responding to that and treatment by interfering with the system will be important,” he said. “There’s obviously some time until such a treatment will be available but this is something we will definitely work towards.”
The Garvan research will be published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, Volume 202, No. 11.
Monday, February 21, 2005The Romanian Government has made plans and identified its aims for the next privatisation program which will end in 2006. By the end of next year, the government hopes to sell all of its shares in Romtelecom, Romania’s largest telecommunications company, which is currently owned by Greece’s OTE but which the government maintains a 47% share in. The full privatisation will occur in two phases, with some of the government’s existing shares being sold on the Bucharest Stock Exchange this year, and the remainder being sold in 2006.
By 2006, the government also wants to sell its share in Postelecom, another telecommunications operator, and complete the privatisation of the Radiocomunica?ii, the national radio communications company.
The Government also wantes to begin analysis and consulting into the privatisation of Po?ta Român?, or Romanian Post, the full privatisation of which is set to be completed by 2009 at the latest.
Romania has embarked on a quite comprehensive program of privatisation since 2000, having privatised a part of Romtelecom, as well as full privatisations of several energy distributors and the nation’s largest banks, in addition to other smaller companies. However, these privatisations are dwarfed by that of Petrom, Romania’s national oil company, which was bought by Austria’s OMV in 2004 and is the largest Romanian privatisation ever.
The current Liberal-Democrat governing coalition in Romania has privatisation and economic liberalism as one of its main policies, having also introduced a 16% flat tax rate for personal income and corporate profits at the start of 2005.
Methods For Hanging Wall Frames
by
Debbie BoernerOne of the best ways to decorate the walls of your home or office space is by hanging wall frames, which come in a variety of sizes, shapes and materials. A popular frame size most commonly used for a portrait is a 16×20 picture frame and the 24×36 picture frame is a great size for framing a painting. The various materials from which frames are made include wood, metal, and plastic. Choosing a frame that best accentuates the picture or artwork you want to display is always important, just as making sure the frame is correctly hung on the wall. An improperly hung wall frame can be unsightly and spoil the whole idea of enhancing the rooms decor. By choosing the appropriate style and size of frame you can enhance the overall ambiance of your home in a simple way.
When hanging wall frames on drywall it is best to use a stud finder so that you can hang the frame safely and securely to the wall by hammering a finishing nail at a 45 degree angle into a wood stud. Whether you are hanging an 8×10 or a 24×36 picture frame, using a stud is always beneficial, but not the only method used for hanging wall frames. If the studs are not in the area where you would like to hang the frame then you should use a picture hook that supports the proper weight of your frame. There are many different types of picture hangers available and most work well for just about any size of frame from the very smallest to the largest. For the larger and heavier frames a good hook to use is one with three nails which can support items weighing from 50 to 100 pounds.
Another method for hanging wall frames is to use screws. Screws are not usually used on regular sheet rocked walls because picture hangers designed for drywall make smaller holes in the sheet rock and offer a more securely hung frame. Screws are usually used on walls made of concrete, stone or brick because these type of walls need the extra support and strength of the screws. With the help of a drill and mason drill bit, drill a hole into your wall and insert the screw. You may also want to consider using a screw anchor which will secure the screw tightly into the wall so that you can hang large and heavy hanging wall frames safely.
You can also use adhesives for hanging wall frames. They are simple and fast and do not require any holes to be made. Different types of adhesives are available in the market today. You can speak to the salesperson and he will show you the different varieties available. The greatest advantage of using adhesives is that there is no need to drill holes on your wall unlike other methods. You can simply choose the area and stick them wherever you want to hang your picture. However, you cannot hang heavy pictures using adhesives. Adhesives are typically used for hanging small frames such as a 5×7 frame. Some kinds of adhesives will hold wall frames up to 5 lbs.
In summary, when choosing the correct method for hanging wall frames there are several things to consider, such as the size and weight of your frame, the location on the wall, as well as the type of wall the frame will be hanging from. So, choose one of the above mentioned methods to hang your favorite pictures or paintings when decorating you home or office space. For a decorator designed look, select wall frames which exemplify styles, colors and materials that complement other items in your home/office decor.
Debbie Boerner maintains an online home decor store specializing in quality home accessories for inside and outside the home. For a huge selection of quality hanging wall frames please visit us at http://www.homedecoroutdoor.com
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